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Spinning polleras, rollocking carnival parties and the soaring steeples of dusty colonial towns: the Península de Azuero, Panama's cultural seat, has it all. Chitré, the peninsula's largest city, traces its history to the first days of Spanish settlement and serves most tourists as a base of operations for exploring the region. Generally, visitors are most interested in the local ceramic artisans, rum factories and antique architecture; however, if the blazing Panama sun entices you to find a sandy shoreline, you're in luck.

Playa El Aguillito

Bring your beach towel, but don't forget your binoculars. Developers fabricated this artificial beach in the 60s, destroying a mangrove forest in the failed attempt to create a sunbathing mecca; ironically, nature is now the main attraction. The Humboldt Ecological Station studies the thousands of migratory birds that make a stop at Playa El Aguillito to fill up on the extensive buffet of shrimp provided by the beach's artificial width. Sunbathing, though it plays second fiddle to orthinology, is still welcome.

Refugio de Vida Silvestre Penon de Honda

Similar to Playa El Aguillito, the Refugio de Vida Silvestre Penon de Honda is beloved to birders worldwide but remains accessible to beachcombers. On your way to the breakers, check out the scores of birds that nest on the Penon (rock) and the moody, murky mangrove swamps that recall the settings of black-and-white horror films. Closer to the beach, thermally heated pools offer themselves up for a warm pre-beach dip. (Their locations are not well-marked, so ask a local to show you where to go.)

Parque Nacional Sarigua

Parque Nacional Sarigua lies just six miles north of the center of Chitré. Full disclosure: its beach isn't much to look at, and shrimp farms occupy most of the shoreline. It's a prime example of the final result of the slash-and-burn agriculture so common to the region -- since the trees were felled many years ago, the park's hillsides have washed into the sea through the creek that separates the two halves of the park. Even so, the anthropological significance of the park makes it more than worth a visit. Archaeologists date the site back 11,00 years, and once you're through marveling at the park's history, there are a couple of nice places to anchor your beach umbrella.

Further Afield

Surfers, fishermen and snorkelers, take note: the beaches close to Chitré aren't prime territory for your sport. However, Playa Venado -- close to the easternmost tip of the peninsula -- is a major destination for all three, and it's just 40 miles away. Ample accommodations in all price ranges help visitors avoid the pressure of the long drive (or bus ride) back to Chitré.

References

"Lonely Planet Panama"; Matthew D. Firestone; 2007

"Bradt Panama"; Sarah Woods; 2009

About the Author

Annette O'Neil is an air sports athlete, digital nomad, full-time traveler and yogini. A writer for more than a decade, O'Neil has written copy, content and editorial articles for hundreds of clients and publications, including Blue Skies Magazine and Whole Life Times.